Advances in Asymmetric Autocatalysis and Related Topics provides various viewpoints on the important developments in asymmetric autocatalysis that have occurred in the past few years, also including brand new information in the field. Asymmetric autocatalysis is a chemical reaction which leads from achiral starting materials to chiral products, and in which the product accelerates its own formation reaction (conventional catalysis) and promotes the prevalence of its own chiral configuration (asymmetric induction). The combination of these two effects in the same reaction was unprecedented before 1995 when it was first described by Kenso SOAI at the Tokyo University of Science. Since then, several new combinations of this effect have been found, most intriguingly the possibility of absolute asymmetric synthesis, which is the spontaneous formation of the excess of one of the enantiomers of the product, a dream of organic chemists for more than a century. The book contains expert-contributed chapters that describe the most exciting recent developments in the field of the Soai reaction and in related topics, ranging from mechanistic studies and theoretical research, to very practical problems in chiral syntheses and products. Features contributions from global experts, including several chapters from Kenso Soai and expert colleagues Focuses on recent developments in the field of asymmetric autocatalysis and newly reported findings Explores the Soai reaction, new developments, and the light it sheds on homochirality in certain biomolecules

Asymmetric autocatalysis is a reaction in which chiral compound acts as a chiral catalyst for its own production. The process is a catalytic automultiplication of the chiral compound leading to an end product with a high enantiomeric excess. It has advantages over non-autocatalytic reactions because the amount of catalyst increases and no loss or deterioration of the catalyst is observed. Additionally, because the catalyst and product have the same structure, the separation of product from the catalyst is not necessary. Asymmetric Autocatalysis provides a comprehensive introduction to the topic of autocatalysis and an in-depth review of the current state of the research. Edited by a team including Professor Kenso Soai, who first described these types of reaction, and written by experts from around the world this book is a great resource for anyone with an interest in organic synthesis, catalysis and chirality.

Choice Recommended Title, August 2019 Read an exclusive interview with Professor Vera Kolb here. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life on Earth. This exciting and significant field of research also investigates the potential existence and search for extra-terrestrial life in the Solar System and beyond. This is the first handbook in this burgeoning and interdisciplinary field. Edited by Vera Kolb, a highly respected astrobiologist, this comprehensive resource captures the history and current state of the field. Rich in information and easy to use, it assumes basic knowledge and provides answers to questions from practitioners and specialists in the field, as well as providing key references for further study. Features: Fills an important gap in the market, providing a comprehensive overview of the field Edited by an authority in the subject, with chapters written by experts in the many diverse areas that comprise astrobiology Contains in-depth and broad coverage of an exciting field that will only grow in importance in the decades ahead

This book addresses the timely subject of systems applications in astrobiology. It demonstrates how astrobiology – a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary field of science – can benefit from adopting the systems approach. Astrobiology draws upon its founding sciences, such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, geology, and planetary sciences. However, astrobiologists can encounter difficulties working across these fields. The systems approach, we believe, is the best contemporary approach to consider astrobiology holistically. The approach is currently used in other fields, such as engineering, which uses systems analysis routinely. Such an approach needs to be learned, both in principle and through examples, from the field. This book features chapters from experts across the field of astrobiology who have applied the systems approach. It will be a valuable guide for astrobiology students at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels, in addition to researchers in the field, both in academia and the space industry. Key Features: Offers a unique and novel approach to studying and understanding astrobiology Encourages astrobiologists to apply a holistic systems approach to their work, rather than being bogged down in details Imparts practical knowledge to readers which can be adopted in different research and job opportunities in the field of astrobiology Vera M. Kolb obtained degrees in chemical engineering and organic chemistry from Belgrade University, Serbia, and earned her PhD in organic chemistry from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Following a 30-year career, she is Professor Emerita of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin. During her first sabbatical leave with the NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Astrobiology, she conducted research with Dr. Leslie Orgel at the Salk Institute and Prof. Stanley Miller at UC San Diego. Her second sabbatical was with Prof. Joseph Lambert at Northwestern University, where she studied sugar silicates and their potential astrobiological relevance. She is credited for authoring over 160 publications, in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry, green chemistry, and astrobiology, including several books. Recently, she authored Green Organic Chemistry and Its Interdisciplinary Applications (CRC 2016). In the astrobiology field, she edited Astrobiology: An Evolutionary Approach (CRC 2015) and Handbook of Astrobiology (CRC 2019). She co-authored (with Benton C. Clark) Astrobiology for a General Reader: A Questions and Answers Approach (CSP 2020) and Systems Approach to Astrobiology (CRC 2023).

Advances in Heterocyclic Chemistry, Volume 129 is the definitive series in the field—one of great importance to organic chemists, polymer chemists and many biological scientists. Because biology and organic chemistry increasingly intersect, the associated nomenclature also is being used more frequently in explanations. Written by established authorities in the field from around the world, this comprehensive, updated release includes chapters on Metal-Catalyzed Direct Arylation of 1,2-Azoles, The Literature of Heterocyclic Chemistry, Part XVII, 2017, Pyrrolo-, Imidazoquinolines and Pyrroloquinazolines with a Bridgehead Nitrogen, Synthesis and Reactions of Arsole, Stibole, and Bismole, Advances in Synthesis and Chemistry of Aziridines, and more. Considered the definitive serial in the field of heterocyclic chemistry Serves as the go-to reference for organic chemists, polymer chemists and many biological scientists Provides the latest comprehensive reviews written by established authorities in the field Combines descriptive synthetic chemistry and mechanistic insight to enhance understanding of how chemistry drives the preparation and useful properties of heterocyclic compounds

Biological Chirality describes this occurrence, its history, and early research around the topic. The work covers analytical methods for observing the phenomenon, providing current techniques and practice and discussing the asymmetric morphology of certain living organisms, such as the position of the heart and liver in humans and the exceptions to biological homochirality seen in D-Amino Acids. In addition, it explores the requirement of enantioselectivity prepared pharmaceuticals to address enantioselectivities biomolecules, a major challenge in today's organic chemistry. Finally, the work considers the possible origin of biological homochirality, as well as the outlook for future research in this area. - Describes the history of biological chirality research, its possible origins, and future exploration areas - Discusses asymmetric exceptions in morphology and D-Amino Acids - Explores the critical implications of enantioselective biomolecules for preparative organic chemistry with a goal of developing effective pharmaceuticals

Due to their distinctive properties, ionic liquids have attracted the great and unflagging interest of researchers for over 30 years. This interest has been focused mainly on their use as a green alternative to volatile organic solvents. However, they often act not only as solvents but also as catalysts, catalyst immobilizers and initiators. Over 100 types of chemical reactions are known in which ionic liquids (ILs) were applied successfully. This Special Issue is aimed at showing the most recent advances and trends in the design, synthesis and characterization of catalysts based on ILs, as well as presenting their activity and application potential.

Catalysis in Biomass Conversion, Volume 77 in the Advances in Inorganic Chemistry series, presents timely and informative summaries on current progress in a variety of subject areas. This acclaimed serial features reviews written by experts in the field, serving as an indispensable reference to advanced researchers that empowers readers to pursue new developments in each field. Users will find this to be a comprehensive overview of recent findings and trends from the last decade that covers various kinds of inorganic topics, from theoretical oriented supramolecular chemistry, to the quest for accurate calculations of spin states in transition metals. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in the Advances in Inorganic Chemistry series

This book surveys the models for the origin of life and presents a new model starting with shaped droplets and ending with life as polygonal Archaea; it collects the most published micrographs of Archaea (discovered only in 1977), which support this conclusion, and thus provides the first visual survey of Archaea. Origin of Life via Archaea’s purpose is to add a new hypothesis on what are called “shaped droplets”, as the starting point, for flat, polygonal Archaea, supporting the Vesicles First hypothesis. The book contains over 6000 distinct references and micrographs of 440 extant species of Archaea, 41% of which exhibit polygonal phenotypes. It surveys the intellectual battleground of the many ideas of the origin of life on earth, chemical equilibrium, autocatalysis, and biotic polymers. This book contains 17 chapters, some coauthored, on a wide range of topics on the origin of life, including Archaea’s origin, patterns, and species. It shows how various aspects of the origin of life may have occurred at chemical equilibrium, not requiring an energy source, contrary to the general assumption. For the reader’s value, its compendium of Archaea micrographs might also serve many other interesting questions about Archaea. One chapter presents a theory for the shape of flat, polygonal Archaea in terms of the energetics at the surface, edges and corners of the S-layer. Another shows how membrane peptides may have originated. The book also includes a large table of most extant Archaea, that is searchable in the electronic version. It ends with a chapter on problems needing further research. Audience This book will be used by astrobiologists, origin of life biologists, physicists of small systems, geologists, biochemists, theoretical and vesicle chemists.

Chirality, or handedness, is a fundamental physical characteristic, which spans the length scales ranging from elementary particles to the chiral asymmetry of spiral galaxies. The way in which chirality in chemistry, or molecular handedness, may have emerged in a primitive terrestrial environment, and how it can be triggered, amplified, and transferred, are deeply challenging problems rooted in both fundamental scientific interests and the technological potentials for science and society. Chirality constitutes a unifying feature of the living world and is a prime driving force for molecular selection and genetic evolution in biology. In this book, we offer a selection of five distinct approaches to this problem by leading experts in the field. The selected topics range from protein chirality and its relevance to protein ageing, protein aggregation and neurodegeneration, entropy production associated with chiral symmetry breaking in closed systems, chiral oscillations in polymerization models involving higher-order oligomers, the mirror symmetry breaking in liquids and its implications for the development of homochirality in abiogenesis, the role of chirality in the chemical sciences, and some philosophical implications of chirality.